greyfriars bobby-第32节

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〃Propose　your　toast　to　Greyfriars　Bobby；　Captain。　His　story　is　vouched　for　by　no　less　a　person　than　the　Lord　Provost。　The　'bittie'　dog　seems　to　have　won　a　sort　of　canine　Victoria　Cross。〃

The　toast　was　drunk　standing；　and；　a　cheer　given。　The　company　pressed　close　to　examine　the　collar　and　to　shake　Bobby's　lifted　paw。　Then；　thinking　the　moment　had　come；　Bobby　rose　in　the　begging　attitude；　prostrated　himself　before　them；　and　uttered　a　pleading　cry。　His　new　friend　assured　him　that　he　would　be　taken　home。

〃Bide　a　wee；　Bobby。　Before　he　goes　I　want　you　all　to　see　his　beautiful　eyes。　In　most　breeds　of　dogs　with　the　veil　you　will　find　the　hairs　of　the　face　discolored　by　tears；　but　the　Skye　terrier's　are　not；　and　his　eyes　are　living　jewels；　as　sunny　a　brown　as　cairngorms　in　pebble　brooches；　but　soft　and　deep　and　with　an　almost　human　intelligence。〃

For　the　third　time　that　day　Bobby's　veil　was　pushed　back。　One　shocked　look　by　this　lover　of　dogs；　and　it　was　dropped。　〃Get　him　back　to　that　grave；　man；　or　he's　like　to　die。　His　eyes　are　just　two　cairngorms　of　grief。〃

In　the　hush　that　fell　upon　the　company　the　senior　officer　spoke　sharply：　〃Take　him　down　at　once；　Sergeant。　The　whole　affair　is　most　unfortunate；　and　you　will　please　tender　my　apologies　at　the　churchyard　and　the　restaurant；　as　well　as　your　own；　and　I　will　see　the　Lord　Provost。〃

The　military　salute　was　given　to　Bobby　when　he　leaped　from　the　table　at　the　sergeant's　call：　〃Come　awa'；　Bobby。　I'll　tak'　ye　to　Auld　Jock　i'　the　kirkyaird　noo。〃

He　stepped　out　onto　the　lawn　to　wait　for　his　pass。　Bobby　stood　at　his　feet；　quivering　with　impatience　to　be　off；　but　trusting　in　the　man's　given　word。　The　upper　air　was　clear；　and　the　sky　studded　with　stars。　Twenty　minutes　before　the　May　Light；　that　guided　the　ships　into　the　Firth；　could　be　seen　far　out　on　the　edge　of　the　ocean；　and　in　every　direction　the　lamps　of　the　city　seemed　to　fall　away　in　a　shower　of　sparks；　as　from　a　burst　meteor。　But　now；　while　the　stars　above　were　as　numerous　and　as　brilliant　as　before；　the　lights　below　had　vanished。　As　the　sergeant　looked；　the　highest　ones　expired　in　the　rising　fog。　The　Island　Rock　appeared　to　be　sinking　in　a　waveless　sea　of　milk。

A　startled　exclamation　from　the　sergeant　brought　other　men　out　on　the　terrace　to　see　it。　The　senior　officer　withheld　the　pass　in　his　hand；　and　scouted　the　idea　of　the　sergeant's　going　down　into　the　city。　As　the　drum　began　to　beat　the　tattoo　and　the　bugle　to　rise　on　a　crescendo　of　lovely　notes；　soldiers　swarmed　toward　the　barracks。　Those　who　had　been　out　in　the　town　came　running　up　the　roadway　into　the　Castle；　talking　loudly　of　adventures　they　had　had　in　the　fog。　The　sergeant　looked　down　at　anxious　Bobby；　who　stood　agitated　and　straining　as　at　a　leash；　and　said　that　he　preferred　to　go。

〃Impossible！　A　foolish　risk；　Sergeant；　that　I　am　unwilling　you　should　take。　Edinburgh　is　too　full　of　pitfalls　for　a　man　to　be　going　about　on　such　a　night。　Our　guests　will　sleep　in　the　Castle；　and　it　will　be　safer　for　the　little　dog　to　remain　until　morning。〃

Bobby　did　not　quite　understand　this　good　English；　but　the　excited　talk　and　the　delay　made　him　uneasy。　He　whimpered　piteously。　He　lay　across　the　sergeant's　feet；　and　through　his　boots　the　man　could　feel　the　little　creature's　heart　beat。　Then　he　rose　and　uttered　his　pleading　cry。　The　sergeant　stooped　and　patted　the　shaggy　head　consolingly；　and　tried　to　explain　matters。

〃Be　a　gude　doggie　noo。　Dinna　fash　yersel'　aboot　what　canna　be　helped。　I　canna　tak'　ye　to　the　kirkyaird　the　nicht。〃

〃I'll　take　charge　of　Bobby；　Sergeant。〃　The　dog…loving　guest　ran　out　hastily；　but；　with　a　wild　cry　of　reproach　and　despair；　Bobby　was　gone。

The　group　of　soldiers　who　had　been　out　on　the　cliff　were　standing　in　the　postern　a　moment　to　look　down　at　the　opaque　flood　that　was　rising　around　the　rock。　They　felt　some　flying　thing　sweep　over　their　feet　and　caught　a　silvery　flash　of　it　across　the　promenade。　The　sergeant　cried　to　them　to　stop　the　dog；　and　he　and　the　guest　were　out　in　time　to　see　Bobby　go　over　the　precipice。

For　a　time　the　little　dog　lay　in　a　clump　of　hazel　above　the　fog；　between　two　terrors。　He　could　see　the　men　and　the　lights　moving　along　the　top　of　the　cliff；　and　he　could　hear　the　calls。　Some　one　caught　a　glimpse　of　him；　and　the　sergeant　lay　down　on　the　edge　of　the　precipice　and　talked　to　him；　saying　every　kind　and　foolish　thing　he　could　think　of　to　persuade　Bobby　to　come　back。　Then　a　drummer　boy　was　tied　to　a　rope　and　let　down　to　the　ledge　to　fetch　him　up。　But　at　that；　without　any　sound　at　all；　Bobby　dropped　out　of　sight。

Through　the　smother　came　the　loud　moaning　of　fog…horns　in　the　Firth。　Although　nothing　could　be　seen；　and　sounds　were　muffled　as　if　the　ears　of　the　world　were　stuffed　with　wool；　odors　were　held　captive　and　mingled　in　confusion。　There　was　nothing　to　guide　a　little　dog's　nose；　everything　to　make　him　distrust　his　most　reliable　sense。　The　smell　of　every　plant　on　the　crag　was　there；　the　odors　of　leather；　of　paint；　of　wood；　of　iron；　from　the　crafts　shops　at　the　base。　Smoke　from　chimneys　in　the　valley　was　mixed　with　the　strong　scent　of　horses；　hay　and　grain　from　the　street　of　King's　Stables。　There　was　the　smell　of　furry　rodents；　of　nesting　birds；　of　gushing　springs；　of　the　earth　itself；　and　something　more　ancient　still；　as　of　burned…out　fires　in　the　Huge　mass　of　trap…rock。

Everything　warned　Bobby　to　lie　still　in　safety　until　morning　and　the　world　was　restored　to　its　normal　aspects。　But　ah！　in　the　highest　type　of　man　and　dog；　self…sacrifice；　and　not　self…preservation；　is　the　first　law。　A　deserted　grave　cried　to　him　across　the　void；　the　anguish　of　protecting　love　urged　him　on　to　take　perilous　chances。　Falling　upon　a　narrow　shelf　of　rock；　he　had　bounded　off　and　into　a　thicket　of　thorns。　Bruised　and　shaken　and　bewildered；　he　lay　there　for　a　time　and　tried　to　get　his　bearings。

Bobby　knew　only　that　the　way　was　downward。　He　put　out　a　paw　and　felt　for　the　edge　of　the　shelf。　A　thorn　bush　rooted　below　tickled　his　nose。　He　dropped　into　that　and　scrambled　out　again。　Loose　earth　broke　under　his　struggles　and　carried　him　swiftly　down　to　a　new　level。　He　slipped　in　the　wet　moss　of　a　spring　before　he　heard　the　tinkle　of　the　water；　lost　his　foothold；　and　fell　against　a　sharp　point　of　rock。　The　shadowy　spire　of　a　fir…tree　looming　in　a　parting　of　the　vapor　for　an　instant；　Bobby　leaped　to　the　ledge　upon　which　it　was　rooted。

Foot　by　foot　he　went　down；　with　no　guidance　at　all。　It　is　the　nature　of　such　long；　low；　earth　dogs　to　go　by　leaps　and　bounds　like　foxes；　calculating　distances　nicely　when　they　can　see；　and　tearing　across　the　roughest　country　with　the　speed　of　the　wild　animals　they　hunt。　And　where　the　way　is　very　steep　they　can　scramble　up　or　down　any　declivity　that　is　at　a　lesser　angle　than　the　perpendicular。　Head　first　they　go　downward；　setting　the　fore　paws　forward；　the　claws　clutching　around　projections　and　in　fissures；　the　weight　hung　from　the　stout　hindquarters；　the　body　flattened　on　the　earth。

Thus　Bobby　crept　down　steep　descents　in　safety；　but　his　claws　were　broken　in　crevices　and　his　feet　were　torn　and　pierced　by　splinters　of　rock　and　thorns。　Once　he　went　some　distance　into　a　cave　and　had　to　back　up　and　out　again。　And　then　a　promising　slope　shelving　under　suddenly；　where　he　could　not　retreat；　he　leaped；　turned　over　and　over　in　the　air；　and　fell　stunned。　His　heart　filled　with　fear　of　the　unseen　before　him；　the　little　dog　lay　for　a　long　time　in　a　clump　of　whins。　He　may　even　have　dozed　and　dreamed；　to　be　awakened　with　starts　by　his　misery　of　longing；　and　once　by　the　far…away　barking　of　a　dog。　It　came　up　deadened；　as　if　from　fathoms　below。　He　stood　up　and　listened；　but　the　sound　was　not　repeated。　His　lacerated　feet　burned　and　throbbed；　his　bruised　muscles　had　begun　to　stiffen；　so　that　every　movement　was　a　pain。

In　these　lower　levels　there　was　more　smoke；　that　smeared　out　and　thickened　the　mist。　Suddenly　a　breath　of　air　parted　the　fog　as　if　it　were　a　torn　curtain。　Like　a　shot　Bobby　went　down　the　crag；　leaping　from　rock　to　rock；　scrambling　under　thorns　and　hazel　shrubs；　dropping　over　precipitous　ledges；　until　he　looked　down　a　sheer　fall　on　which　not　even　a　knot　of　grass　could　find　a　foothold。　He　took　the　leap　instantly；　and　his　thick　fleece　saved　him　from　broken　bones；　but　when　he　tried　to　get　up　again　his　body　was　racked　with　pain　and　his　hind　legs　refused　to　serve　him。

Turning　swiftly；　he　snarled　and　bit；　at　them　in　angry　disbelief　that　his　good　little　legs　should　play　false　with　his　stout　heart。　Then　he　quite　forgot　his　pain；　for　there　was　the　sharp　ring　of　iron　on　an　anvil　and　the　dull　glow　of　a　forge　fire；　where　a　smith　was　toiling　in　the　early　hours　of　the　morning。　A　clever　and　resourceful　little　dog；　Bobby　made　shift　to　do　without　legs。　Turning　on　his　side；　he　rolled　down　the　last　slope　of　Castle　Rock。　Crawling　between　two　buildings　and　dropping　from　the　terrace　on　which　they　stood；　he　fell　into　a　little　street　at　the　west　end　and　above　the　Grassmarket。

Here　the　odors　were　all　of　the　stables。　He　knew　the　way；　and　that　it　was　still　downward。　The　distance　he　had　to　go　was　a　matter　of　a　quarter　of　a　mile；　or　less；　and　the　greater　part　of　it　was　on　the　level；　through　the　sunken　valley　of　the　Grassmarket。　But　Bobby